In this course, we will explore the fascinating world of anatomy and physiology in the animal kingdom.

The organisms in the animal world are wonderful, diverse, and varied, each with special and amazing mechanisms that allow them to live in all kinds of ecological niches and environments that pose many challenges: in depths and pressures underwater where oxygen is scarce and light is limited, on land while dealing with the danger of drought and greater difficulty in bearing weight, and more.

We will learn about the development of different body systems in simple unicellular organisms through invertebrates to large vertebrates with complex systems.

We will get acquainted with different and strange life forms that, although they look as if they came from space, are actually living here with us. We will discover their special abilities such as regeneration of missing organs, the ability to breathe without lungs, the ability to receive nutrition without a digestive system, and so on.

We will learn about the development of body systems:

The circulatory system (cardiovascular system) – What is the role of the system? Do all organisms have one? Do all creatures in the animal world need it? We will compare its activity and complexity in vertebrates versus less complex life forms and organisms. We will discuss open and closed blood systems, how the heart is built and who doesn't have a division into partitions, atria, and ventricles. We will discover together the advantages of such a division in large organisms and homeothermic animals.

The respiratory system – What is the role of oxygen? How do animals get oxygen underwater? Does everyone who lives in water have gills? Do all animals breathe through the mouth? Through what other organs can animals breathe? We will expand on the special respiratory system of birds with all the air sacs and compartments that make it up and their special ability to absorb oxygen even during exhalation (and not just inhalation), finally reaching the respiratory system in mammals. We will discover how long gill-less creatures and lung-bearing animals living in water can hold their breath and what mechanisms allow them to do this.

The skeletal system – We will learn about the role of the skeleton, compare external and internal skeletons, and see what advantages each provides in different living environments and habitats. We will discuss the chemical composition and materials that make up different types of skeletons. We will talk about the special skeletal system of birds and their adaptations to be lightweight and allow easy flight. Comparison between the bone structure in the fin of a marine mammal to the wing of a bat to the leg of a horse and of course to humans. To show that due to the parallel development of different animals in similar environments, a similar structure is created that meets a similar need despite belonging to different taxonomic classes and having no genetic connection between them.

The digestive system – We will delve into different ways of food breakdown and compare chemical digestion to mechanical digestion. We will compare the anatomical location where this is performed in different animals. We will compare the dental morphology and anatomy of animals according to the types of food they need to deal with and see physiological solutions of some animals with massive tooth wear. Who has no stomach at all? Who has only one and who has several stomachs? We will compare monogastric to polygastric animals and discuss the difference between the functions of the stomach or stomachs of each.

The excretory system – We will compare the anatomy and morphological shape of kidneys in different animals. We will discuss the functions of the excretory system, kidney filtration, and waste excretion. We will enter the chemical structure of different types of waste and touch on the differences between ammonia, urea, and uric acid and the differences in the various properties of these materials and who and in which living environments each of them is suitable? In what situations can excretion be dangerous? And finally, we will also talk about the importance of drinking plenty and the dangers that can be caused to this system in a state of insufficient drinking and lack of fluids.

* The course material will be tailored to the age of the learners.